Georgina Clarke

A gripping historical crime debut from an exciting new voice.‘It’s strange, the way fortune deals her hand.’ The year is 1759 and London is shrouded in a cloak of fear. With the constables at the mercy of highwaymen, it’s a perilous time to work the already dangerous streets of Soho. Lizzie Hardwicke makes her living as a prostitute, somewhat protected from the fray as one of Mrs Farley’s girls. But then one of her wealthy customers is found brutally murdered... and Lizzie was the last person to see him alive. Constable William Davenport has no hard evidence against Lizzie but his presence and questions make life increasingly difficult. Desperate to be rid of him and prove her innocence Lizzie turns amateur detective, determined to find the true killer, whatever the cost. Yet as the body count rises Lizzie realises that, just like her, everyone has a secret they will do almost anything to keep buried... Praise for Death and the Harlot 'The hungers, musk, lust, and gorgeous depravity of 1759 London spiral to life in Death and the Harlot, Georgina Clarke’s utterly seductive sleight of hand... An achingly alive historical mystery' Reader review ‘Fast paced page turner! Lizzie is the type of unique heroine that you can't help fall in love with. Her wit combined with a touch of sass has you rooting for her with each chapter’ 5* Reader review ‘Excellent book. I stayed up till 3:30 in the morning to finish this. I could not put it down. Lizzie Hardwicke is a prostitute who’s last client ends up dead. She’s smart, observant and sassy. I adored her...I wholeheartedly recommend this book’ 5* Reader review ‘Georgina Clarke has a hit on her hands’ 5* Reader review ‘I absolutely loved this book! Lizzie is not your usual heroine but she’s smart, quick and I thought she was fabulous’ 5* Reader review 'A gripping page-turner with a sassy and fabulously original heroine in the form of Lizzie Hardwicke – I loved it!' Annie Lyons 'From sumptuous depravity to brutal murder, Death and the Harlot is a wild ride through the seedy side of 1750s London, while its heroine, Lizzie Hardwicke, is razor sharp and brilliantly original. I couldn’t put it down' Joe Heap 'Atmospheric and full of authentic details about (the oft-neglected but wonderfully complex) eighteenth-century London, Clarke’s debut is told from the perspective of a young woman who looks unflinchingly at her world – with all its depravity and discord – in order to carve out a situation that allows her to retain her humanity, her humour, and her own particular brand of honour. Brava to this new, engaging voice and her strong woman protagonist!' Karen Odden, author of A Lady in the Smoke

A Lizzie Hardwicke Novel

Death and the Harlot

‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players...’ When an undercover assignment for the Bow Street magistrate sees prostitute Lizzie Hardwicke trade Ma Farley’s Bawdy House in Soho for life as a theatre seamstress on Drury Lane, it becomes clear quite quickly - what goes on in the wings is much more intriguing than the theatrics being played out on stage... Soon Lizzie is once again thrown together with the handsome Inspector Will Davenport when a high profile investor is brutally hanged at centre stage and Lizzie discovers the body. With the suspect list rivalling any casting call, Lizzie will have to use every trick she’s hidden up her sleeves to unravel the tangled threads and bring the culprit into the spotlight. Praise for The Corpse Played Dead “I loved everything about this ingenious story! It is every bit as sparkling and twisty as the first book“ Celia Anderson, author of 59 Memory Lane “Georgina Clarke has shown considerable focus in maintaining a steady momentum of the plot and the natural developments in solving the crimes. The throbbing atmosphere and landscape of historical London are superbly depicted and vividly brought to life...” Reader Review “The Corpse Played Dead is an intriguing whodunit with lots of wit and even a bit of romance.” Reader Review “This book is so atmospheric and the characters so real that it is easy to imagine you are back in that era. This is a fast paced story full of interesting characters” Reader Review “This is well-written, well-researched and well done. Lizzie is such a wonderfully entertaining and complex character, and I hope she will have many more adventures ahead of her...I’ll be reading!” Reader Review “An intricate, well plotted mystery in another age, and I highly recommend it.” Reader Review“ "Entertaining, witty historical crime reads for people seeking well-plotted stories with creatively put together characters, some emotional moments, dangerous criminals and an investigating prostitute at the helm!” Reader Review

A historical crime story of intrigue and suspense

The Corpse Played Dead

A sparkling new historical novel set in the 1920s, inspired by the notorious all-female crime syndicate known as the Forty Thieves who operated out of the slums of south London

Ruby Mills is ruthlessly ambitious, strikingly beautiful - and one of the Forty Thieves' most talented members.

Harriet Littlemore writes the women's section in a local newspaper. She's from a 'good' London family and engaged to an up-and-coming Member of Parliament - but she wants a successful career of her own.

After witnessing Ruby fleeing the scene of a robbery, Harriet develops a fascination with the elusive young thief that extends beyond journalistic interest. As their personal aspirations bring them into closer contact than society's rules usually allow, Ruby and Harriet's stories become increasingly intertwined.

Their magnetic dynamic, fraught with envy and desire, tells a compulsive, cinematic story about class, morality and the cost of being an independent woman in 1920s London.

The Dazzle of the Light

A sparkling new historical novel set in the 1920s, inspired by the notorious all-female crime syndicate known as the Forty Thieves who operated out of the slums of south London. Ruby Mills is ruthlessly ambitious, strikingly beautiful - and one of the Forty Thieves' most talented members. Harriet Littlemore writes the women's section in a local newspaper. She's from a 'good' London family and engaged to an up-and-coming Member of Parliament - but she wants a successful career of her own. After witnessing Ruby fleeing the scene of a robbery, Harriet develops a fascination with the elusive young thief that extends beyond journalistic interest. As their personal aspirations bring them into closer contact than society's rules usually allow, Ruby and Harriet's stories become increasingly intertwined. Their magnetic dynamic, fraught with envy and desire, tells a compulsive, cinematic story about class, morality and the cost of being an independent woman in 1920s London.

Georgina Clarke

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